


Dark Nights

by vanilla_rain



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: How Do I Tag, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:02:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27571972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanilla_rain/pseuds/vanilla_rain
Summary: Fuyuhiko is a prince who is unsure of his abilities to really be a.. well, a prince. As well as a king. He was in a constant state of dread of his oncoming position, and his only escape was to explore the kingdom through the night with his pals.Then, out of no where, a strange, darkly dressed man comes into his life, setting his usual routine in life out of wack. How will they get along, in their completely different worlds? Or, rather, how much will they find out they have in common?
Relationships: Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko/Tanaka Gundham, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 9
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

The Kuzuryuu family was.. questionable, at best. At worst? Shady. Really fucking shady.

No one knew the exact details on how they came to power. All anyone knew is that most of the previous family’s records had been wiped, and suddenly the Kuzuryuu’s were there to take the throne. Though, if anyone was being honest, taking over a kingdom seemed like small talk compared to the rest of the world raging in war. People were more focused on whether or not their loved ones would return home safely. The Kuzuryuu family’s appearance had been both accepted and ignored.

However, that was old news. 50 years had passed. Not much changed; wars still raged, people passed as others were born, money was not much of a problem for the townsfolk. It was a mundane, almost boring life in the kingdom. Especially for the prince.

Now, you’d think being heir to the throne of an entire kingdom would be exciting! You get to rule a whole country! Sure! You also get to manage income and border threats too! Not to mention your people count on your very word like gospel! Ain’t that great!

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu knew there were better fitting people for this job than him. He couldn’t rule a country to save his life, much less a small group of people. He knew it, those in the castle knew it,hell, he even bet the whole kingdom knew. Yet his mother insisted on his being heir to the throne, considering he was the first born. His arguments to give the position to his younger sister fell on deaf ears.

As for the present, said prince sighed, his head falling against his desk with a loud  _ thunk. _ His head had been plagued with these thoughts for a rather long time, ever since it had been made known - or obvious - that he was to take up the position. He’d always just assumed his parents would know who the better choice was. The private instructor that had been scribbling notes into a booklet while he ‘read’ looked up, her nose scrunching in distaste at the action.

“Sir Kuzuryuu?” The woman huffed. “Pick your head up. You know better than to-”

“Slouch or ruin my posture. Yeah, I get it.” Fuyuhiko interrupted, picking himself up and rubbing his temple, staring at the page he’d been fake reading for a few more moments before glancing at his pocket watch. Half past nine. It was supposed to be dark by now, though with the lamps swamping the room and the curtains closed neither could really tell. He gathered his things, noticing smugly as his instructor found out how long she had kept him.

“Ah! I’m sorry for keeping you so late, sir!” She yelped, bowing quickly before gathering her own things. He internally cringed at the honorific, yet said nothing, knowing nobody - in the castle at least - would stop calling him ‘sir’ or ‘master.’ “I lost track of time!” The woman bowed again, her face pale when she straightened again. “I’m so sorry to have taken up your time! I-I’m afraid I have to leave, but.. I promise it won’t happen again, sir!”

Fuyuhiko squinted after her, being sure she was gone before leaving in the opposite direction of his room. He slipped down the long staircase at the end of the hall via the railing, glad the halls were mostly empty, and made a quick break for the kitchen, sneaking in soundlessly. The sound of clinking dishes and food cooking and cooks yelling over each other covered his entrance, and he slipped around to the other end of the kitchen, weaving past familiar cooks who pretended to look away as he went past. Finally, he made it to the outside door at the back, cracking the door open and dashing into the night.

Fresh air filled his lungs for the first time all day, and he made sure to savor it, taking deep breaths in and out. Despite how large the castle was, he felt like he was suffocating in it. The responsibilities and pressure weighing on his back constantly, threatening the perfect posture everyone told him to have. Yet, out in the open, he was safe, free from the life he was born into. Most of the town hardly paid attention to their rulers anyway, so it was easy for him to blend in and wander town easily without getting recognized.

It was refreshing.

“Hey!” He turned, only to have a wad of bunched up fabric tossed in his face. When it fell into his arms, he was met with a big, sharp-toothed grin, long black hair falling into the other’s face in random, frizzy strands. “Hurry up ‘n get those on wouldja? You’re late! Been waitin’ on ya for a while!”

Fuyuhiko huffed, flipping him off before slipping back inside, hurriedly escaping to a nearby, empty room that wasn’t really used for much. He had commented to himself about his luck with finding the room one time, and the moment he’d gotten back outside Kazuichi seemed to have been attacked by a swarm of random pigeons. Fuyuhiko chuckled at the memory, shoving on his clothes then running to go outside again. 

“Damn, you take so long, dude!” The other said once he’d made it back out. Fuyuhiko scrunched his nose.

“Shut up! That damn teacher is the reason I’m late anyway!”

Kazuichi breathed out a laugh, cuffing his friend over the head when Fuyuhiko began walking, following soon after. The forest that surrounded the castle (and most of the kingdom, for that matter) on all ends except the front rustled, the wind picking up and blowing a pleasant breeze over the pair. They joked for a while longer, only falling silent when they eventually needed to sneak past the guard to slip past the large gate of the castle.

When they finally made it to town, a group was there waiting almost impatiently, before noticing the two approaching.

“Fuyu! Kaz!” A familiar voice sang pleasantly, a bundle of color racing forwards and crashing into them. A mess of odd gray and black hair told them exactly who it was, if the energetic voice didn’t.

“Ibuki!” Fuyuhiko barked a surprised laugh, one arm awkwardly wrapping around her, the other squished against Kazuichi’s side. Just as quick as she was there, she was gone, instead bouncing hyperactively in front of them, despite the pouty look she was sporting.

“You guys! Ibuki hasn’t seen you guys in  _ ages _ !!” She cried dramatically, drawing out the last word. Kaz rolled his eyes.

“You saw us last week, chill.”

Ibuki pouted huffily, but whatever she was going to say next was cut off by another voice. “Dude! I thought you weren’t coming!” Fuyuhiko looked over at the group, which consisted of basically all of his friends; Hagakure, Mondo, Hajime, Kyoko, and, of course, Kazuichi and Ibuki. Then he turned to the speaker, Mondo, who was grinning stupidly at him.

“My instructor lost track of time and released me late.” He groaned, crossing his arms. 

Hajime snickered. “Sorta lame that you still need a teacher dude.”

Fuyuhiko bristled at that, scowling. “Not my fault I can’t ‘skip’ like you guys!” The group just laughed, with the exception of Kyoko, before they all continued on their way, Fuyuhiko silently fuming as he followed.

That night continued as many others had. They’d go wander the streets freely, reveling in the late night activity of others, pulling many gags and stunts on each other and those unlucky enough to cross their path, eventually grabbing a bite to eat and a place to relax from the tavern nearby before they ended their fun. It was routine, telling each other stories about their week or just their lives in general. It was a relief, feeling normal among these people, listening to their stupid stories about how they accidentally set their hair, and almost their house, on fire (Hagakure), or the jobs they’d be interested in.

Fuyuhiko returned that night to the castle feeling refreshed, a giddy grin still on his face as he remembered what Mondo had told him about how his brother embarrassed himself - and Mondo in turn - trying to ask a girl out for the fifth time. Though, the careless feeling soon fell prey to an uneasy instinct, making his shoulders tense.

He whipped around, eyes wide and searching, eventually landing on a tree nearest to him. Or, rather, what was in the tree. A figure of what looked to be a person sat there, the moonlight barely illuminating their face. Heterochromatic, gray and red eyes met green ones, but the prince didn’t have time to study the person any further before the wind, suddenly, changed direction, blowing a rather harsh gust into his face that forced him to close his eyes. When the wind died and returned to the direction it originally faced, and he managed to open his eyes, the figure, the person, whatever it was, was gone.


	2. Meet and Greet?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mans gotta stalker and its lit KSDJKSADM

Ever since that night, Fuyuhiko couldn’t help but feel like he was being watched. Of course, more often when he was in town with everyone rather than in the castle, but there were a few odd moments where he’d feel eyes boring into his back while in the solitude of his room. His paranoia only raised with each time it happened, but when he turned to look, searching for any sort of gray and red, he was met with nothing.

Anxiety crept up on him when he was out. What if it was one of the townsfolk? What if they recognized him, and called him out on the chance that they really even were around? What would people do? Would they tell his mother? Peko? He shuddered to think that they might already know, and were looking for a chance to apprehend him and the others. Though when he returned home, and nothing seemed off with his mother (she was always an awful liar), his fears were dampened.

But then curiosity began to bite at him. Who the hell was that? Were they really watching him, or was he really just anxious, maybe even delusional? Kaz and Mondo always tried to tell him that the pressure his mother was trying to put him under would make him crazy, though he sincerely doubted that. His mother may be insane and strict, but even she would know his limits. Fuyuhiko knows she just wants him to do better as a king and be a bit more confident in his ability to do so, but he just didn’t believe he could do it very well.

Weeks, then eventually months passed, but that lingering feeling of being watched persisted. Anxiety fell to curiosity, which fell to irritation. Was this some sort of stalker? An assassin? They weren’t doing a very good job, if so. 

He huffed in annoyance, his brows furrowing as he struggled to focus on whatever the words on the paper in front of him said. That teacher of his had simply given him a small stack of papers, said ‘here, do this,’ then went on her merry fuckin way. It was stupid, and he was annoyed already. 

“Is everything alright?” A voice asked from behind him. He turned his gaze to the silver haired woman behind him, who was petting something white and fuzzy in her lap. A bunny, no doubt, yet it was a wonder such a faint hearted creature hadn’t been scared away from her yet.

He turned away, sighing and leaning back in his chair. “‘M fine, Peko.” He grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “That instructor mom gave me isn’t doing her job very well, though.”

“Ah. Perhaps if you showed more interest in what she’s teaching she would try harder..?”

“That’s the thing! I  _ can’t _ ! All this shit -” he gestures to the paper in front of him, “- just isn’t working for me! She has me read a textbook for an hour and then hightails it out of there.” He groans, once again looking at the worksheet. The words on the paper were starting to jumble and mesh, and his sight was blurry from how hard he’d rubbed his eyes. He grunted and stood. Peko stared at him. “I’m going outside, don’t follow me.” He ordered, watching Peko internally struggle to figure out if she should listen or not. They sat there for a few moments, before she nodded, and Fuyuhiko gave a small ‘thanks’ before shuffling out the door.

Once again, he made his way to the kitchen, slipping outside easily when he found no one was there. The prince slid down the wall, knees curling to his chest, the headache that had been building was all too suddenly at the center of attention. Fuyuhiko hissed, rubbing his temple in annoyance. Then,  _ again _ , the feeling of eyes on him resurfaced. He scowled, looking up and around, before his attention was drawn to the tree, searching for any form of the person he’d seen that night months ago. There was no one there.

Fuyuhiko stared at the tree contemplatively. That night was the start of his recent paranoia, and as a result he always found his gaze drawn to the tree and, in turn, the forest behind it. Now, as he stared at the spot, he felt as if he was staring right back at the prying gaze that had constantly been on him.

“Oi,” he started, not knowing where he was going with this. He doubted anyone would respond. “Who’s out there?”

There was silence, the only sound being the pleasant air of the day rustling the leaves of the trees. It was a rather nice day out, he realized gratefully. Refreshing, really. So, without thought, and with renewed energy, he stood, making his way to the treeline. Stepping carefully into the forest, he figured maybe, if he didn’t find out who was watching him, this would still be a rather nice walk through the wildlife. 

Leisurely, the prince went onward, lifting his head to look into the trees, half to look for his stalker and half to take in the sight of the sky through the leaves. He didn’t hear the skittering of something nearby, simply brushing it off as the fauna of the forest wandering. A foolish thing to do, apparently, as there was a sudden, foreign sound of shock and then something was barrelling into his side, knocking him and his assailant over.

“The fuck-?!” He choked out, his back hitting the floor with enough force to knock the breath out of him, leaves crunching beneath him.

“Fiend!” A voice shrieked above him, and he forced his eyes open to look up at the source of the voice. Furious gray and red eyes met his green ones, and before he could process where he recognized those colors, there was more shouting. “Watch where you tread! You very nearly got yourself killed!”

“Wh-” Fuyuhiko cocked his head, bewildered as all hell. “What??” The short male couldn’t place his finger on the place he remembered those eyes, his mind scrambled with the surprise of suddenly being knocked over and yelled at.

Suddenly, a blur of orange was shoved in his face, and it took him a moment to realize the thing in front of him is a hamster. He looked up at the angered face of the man hovering over him. “The mere touch of Cham-P is enough to destroy a fool like you! And you nearly trample her..! Think better of your surroundings, halfwit!”

Fuyuhiko scrunched his nose, not quite liking the names he was being called. He opened his mouth, before realization overcame him. He gasped and jerked a finger in the others face, causing the strange man to jerk back in response. “You!”

“‘..Me?”

“Yes, you! You’ve been stalking me, ain’tcha?!”

The man looked confused for all of five seconds before he, too, had a look of realization. Then, his face exploded in color, and he scoffed, almost immediately hoisting himself up and away from the prince. As said prince stood, he noticed the man retreat into a scarf he hadn’t noticed he was wearing, a rather odd choice of clothing considering the warm weather. Though, all of the man’s clothing was weird, seeing as he was wearing what looked to be a large trench coat that swamped even him, and was wearing jeans with knee high boots. He’d have to ask about that.

“Why don’t you explain that, huh? Don’t think I can’t tell when eyes are on me, asshole. Why have you been stalking me?”

The man simply huffed, cracking an eye open in order to appraise him. “I have simply been observing you from afar. Why must I have a reason?”

“Uh, because it’s  _ creepy _ ?” He was bewildered at the guy’s ability to be so nonchalant. “Are you even hearing yourself??”

There was a heavy silence that followed, both of their gazes challenging. The taller man was first to break, slumping his shoulders and looking away with a sigh.

“I simply.. took interest in you, prince.” He admitted, refusing to look at the oldest Kuzuryuu. “I admit, my way of observance was unorthodox,” he cleared his throat, “but I didn’t believe I could approach.. If that makes sense?”

At this point, the oddly speaking man was fiddling with his scarf, his gaze determinedly set somewhere to the left. Fuyuhiko blinked, brows furrowing. In his own, strange way of putting it, it did make sense. Though annoyance was quickly creeping up again.

All these months of headaches and anxiety just because some weirdo wanted a friend. “You’re a real dumbass, y’know.” He grumped, rubbing his temple. The other puffed out his chest, shoulders rising and an indignant noise escaping his throat. 

“You-!”

“What’s your name?” He questioned, figuring he might as well indulge the guy a bit. He’s still not sure how much of a friend he could be to a guy who stalked him for 3 months, but he was persistent, he’d give him that.

The man, realizing he was being given a chance, brightened considerably, but quickly replaced the happiness in his oddly colored eyes with haughtiness. “My name? Of course you’d ask that, though it’s bold of you not to know.” Where’d this sass come from? “Remember it well, mortal! My name is..” he trailed off for a moment, as if contemplating something, then his gusto returned full force. “Gundham! You may call me Gundham!” He shouted confidently, lips curling into a grin.

Fuyuhiko snorted, placing his hands on his hips. “What, no last name?”

A scoff. “Is it required of me to have one, prince?”

“No,” he hummed, looking up at the sky before returning his attention to the newly dubbed ‘Gundham.’ “I guess you already know, but you can call me Fuyuhiko. None of that ‘prince’ crap.”

Gundham cocked his head to the side, but simply nodded. “I see! It is nice to formally meet you then, Fuyuhiko!” He chuckled, crossing his arms and ducking his face into his scarf.

They stayed silent for a moment, before Fuyuhiko cleared his throat. “Well, I guess I should get goin, huh? Peko’s probably waiting..”

“Ah, wait!”

Fuyu turned once again to the man, who was looking earnestly at him. “I.. Was going to say..!” He cleared his throat, then shifted into an odd stance, pointing at Fuyuhiko. “I shall grace your presence sometime soon! Be prepared, mortal!” He exclaimed, only to turn  _ his  _ back on Fuyuhiko and storm away. Into the forest.

What a weird one indeed.


	3. First Meet 'n Foxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rawr foxes >:))

“Holy shit!”

Those words were the first thing to be heard late Tuesday night. The prince had opened his balcony door only to see a familiar looking, dark dressed man crouched on the edge of the railing. They locked eyes, a seemingly common occurrence that was beginning to form between them, before Gundham smiled.

“Ah! It seems you are still awake! I feared I would have to wake you..”

“Holy fucking- That’s not even surprising! What _is_ surprising is how the hell you got up here!”

Gundham huffed, hopping from the railing to the balcony. “I stated that I’d grace you with my presence soon! Were you not prepared as I had asked?”

“That doesn’t answer the question dumbass-!”

“Now!” Gundham continued, making Fuyuhiko believe he was simply avoiding the topic. “I had initially planned to search for a beast of this kingdom - so.. That’s what we’ll do!” He stated confidently, though the prince noticed him glance at him, as if looking for approval. Fuyuhiko humphed, considering his options; stay home and do nothing until lights out or go search for whatever with this strange dude.

He supposed he’s been in worse situations..

“..Fine. I’ll go.” He grunted, though he stared at the man carefully, fully expecting him to throw himself off the balcony. Or maybe even fly. Though he did neither, he instead motioned him to go on. Gundham then grinned victoriously, heading back to the balcony railing and hopping over it before scooching over to the wall and jumping off onto it. Fuyuhiko felt his heart drop, but the fear soon melted into awe as Gundham’s fingers curled into unseen holes, and he slowly began lowering himself.

“I shall meet you at your usual spot!” He called from below, and Fuyuhiko snapped to attention, nodding at air before stumbling towards his front door, escaping the way he usually did.

When he made it outside, Gundham was already there, standing with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Though, his lax position straightened as he heard the door close, his eyes opening to stare at Fuyuhiko, and then yet another smirk appears.

“Ah! My plan appears to have worked!” He laughed, before jerking his head in the direction of the forest. “Come!”

Fuyuhiko grumbled, following the strange man as he turned to the flora ahead.

They walked for a while, the moon rising high above their heads, noticeably shining through the tops of the trees. The prince humphed, narrowing his eyes at Gundham’s back. 

He couldn’t help but wonder why this guy took such interest in him. It’s not like he was very interesting, really. Being trapped in a castle for most of his life gave him surprisingly little time to actually figure out his interests. Though, he supposed, that was probably why he was trusting a complete stranger not to get them both lost in a forest. Maybe it was also the reason he snuck out for the first time a few years ago, only to get his first major scar from when he nearly got mugged. He wanted to find out about the world, and not just from the books he was forced to read. 

Gundham was mysterious and, honestly, pretty strange. From his strangely colored hair to _climbing onto his damn balcony_ , Fuyuhiko could confidently say he was sorta creeped out by him. Yet, somehow, the taller man was intriguing. Maybe it was because Fuyu was basically a shut in, but Gundham was like a whole new, strange beacon that he was tempted to approach with every word that spilled out of his mouth.

Yet, as trees passed by just as fast (or as slow) as the minutes, annoyance was beginning to creep up.He groaned, catching the other’s attention.

“This is taking forever!” He exclaimed, running up to match Gundham’s pace. “The hell are we looking for anyways?”

A chuckle came from the taller, their gazes meeting, one smug, the other annoyed. “I assumed you had paid attention earlier! We are to be looking for the fine trickster that appears at moonrise!”

Fuyuhiko looked at him, lost, causing Gundham to sigh. “..a fox, small one.” He grumbled, unhappy with the prince’s lack of understanding. Fuyuhiko huffed, crossing his arms.

“You don’t have to call me small! Damn, you coulda just said fox from the beginning..” Then he looked back up at the other, raising a brow. “Wait, a fox? Why? I doubt one would just come to us or whatever.”

“But that is where you’re wrong!” Gundham cackled, pausing in his stride to strike a dramatic pose, little balls of fluff escaping from his scarf to mimic him from his shoulders. “You see, I am the great Gundham T- G-Gundham!” He stumbled over his words, as if he were trying to hide his last name. Fuyuhiko blinked, mentally noting this as the other continued. “The beasts of this world seek my presence as I do theirs!”

Fuyuhiko, slowly, pieced together the taller’s words. “You’re saying animals approach you more than they would most people..?”

“Tch..” Gundham turned, beginning to walk again, though he continued to speak. “I am _saying_ they find comfort in my aura. They approach me naturally, if they are so inclined.” He attempted to explain to the further confused prince.

Suddenly, a yip sounded, and there was a clamor of leaves and what sounded like bodies, before three baby foxes came tumbling through the bushes, crowding at Gundham’s feet. The kits barked and hopped up, pawing at his shins. Shooting Fuyuhiko a smug grin, Gundham crouched, holding his hands out for the cubs to sniff, though they just brushed past it and went straight for his pockets.

With a small chuckle, he pulls a small paper bag from his pocket - how it fit he didn’t know - and from it came what looked to be meat. Fuyuhiko scowled.

“You cheater! They came to you cause you have food!” He cried, making both the taller man and the foxes flinch, the more humanoid of them glaring at the prince.

“Fool! Quiet yourself!” He hissed, holding tightly to the raw pieces of, what looked to be, chicken. The prince huffed, crossing his arms as Gundham’s grimace quickly returned to a shy yet amused grin. “Besides, I never revealed that _all_ beasts approached me so easily. These just happen to be friends that I had brought from my homeland.”

Fuyuhiko hummed, squatting next to him. He looked at the other curiously. “Homeland..? Where are you from?” Gundham glanced at him, then handed him a piece of the meat he was holding. “Wh-”

“Silence!” Gundham interrupted his question, gesturing at the meat then to a fox that was staring curiously at Fuyuhiko. Said prince frowned, not liking the fact he was hiding something from him, though he guessed this was only their second interaction. He turned to the animal the other had wildly pointed at. “The vixen has taken interest in you, small one. I figure your magic energy is high enough to handle her well!” He exclaimed with a grin, before shuffling a bit further from him, holding out the food to the other two.

The prince turned to the vixen, who almost immediately approached upon meeting his gaze. She stopped in front of him cautiously, and he, just as careful, held out the food. There was moment’s hesitation, before she made this odd clicking sound, stepping forward to eat the food out of his hand. It was definitely messy, and awfully gross, but the kit putting her head in his lap after she finished made the mess completely worth it. He supposed he was starting to understand Peko’s love for fluffy things. The prince cooed quietly, carefully running his hand over the fur of the kit.

Fuyuhiko’s head snapped towards Gundham, eyes wide with appreciation and an overwhelmed sense of fondness for the creature in his lap. Their eyes met once again, and Gundham blinked at his expression.

“..You look like one of the wide-eyed stag of the forest.” Was the first thing he said, making the prince huff, a grin turning his lips despite the insult. 

“Yeah? Guess you’re a tree then, with your little chipmunks.” As well as his height, but Fuyuhiko would never say it.

Gundham gasped, recoiling as if he were slapped. His faux shock and indignation amusing to Fuyu. “My devas-?! How dare you!” He scrunched his nose, yet his eyes held a sparkle that Fuyuhiko almost believed was just from the moon. Speaking of..

He looked up, seeing the moon casting over him from over the trees. It had to be around midnight by now. Guilt filled the prince as he looked back to Gundham, who had returned to petting the foxes curled up on him when he noticed Fuyu’s lack of response Despite his earlier hesitance, he found himself not wanting to leave yet. Maybe it was just curiosity, but he wanted to get to know Gundham better. 

“Hey,” he started, standing up, causing the vixen to slip off his lap. “I… I’ve gotta get going.”

The taller hummed, standing as well, the foxes yipping in discontent. “I suppose you are right. I shall escort you to your realm of living then!” He exclaimed, turning in what Fuyuhiko supposed was the direction of the castle. Then he turned again to the prince, meeting his gaze before looking away. “I.. should hope we can meet again..?”

Fuyuhiko didn’t have the heart to tell him no.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> grrrrrrr hiiii :) ty for readingggg n dont be afraid to comment hdsdhka


	4. A Headache and a Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oui short chapter but i wanted to update

Fuyuhiko yawned, his eyes lazily trailing after Peko as she practiced kendo with her mentor. The instructor, dark haired with thick brows, seemed to be having trouble in keeping up with her fast-learning, struggling to find out what else he could teach her besides giving her extra practice. Yet, the other was nothing but resilient, putting up a good fight with the swordswoman. By now, with the years Kiyotaka had been working with the family, they were rather evenly matched, so it was always entertaining to see who would win and who would lose with each spar.

Though, what intrigued Fuyu was the way the strict man would always avoid the topic of his family. He’d been working in the castle since Fuyuhiko was around 10, yet whenever Taka was asked why he even came, he just responded with a small “I just need to,” before escaping. He even refused to acknowledge the fact his kendo skills were almost wholly natural, instead burying himself into books and practice until he deemed himself worthy of the constant demands to help train the silver haired girl that they’d recently adopted. The small prince saw it as strange, though he never pressed, knowing his friend was not comfortable sharing his past.

He was forced out of his thoughts when he heard a body hit the ground, his eyes focusing on the shape of Peko while she panted on the dusty floor. Kiyotaka stood over her, bamboo sword held above her and eyes focused solely on her form. Then, he reached down, extending a hand to the swordswoman, who took it gratefully and dusted herself off.

“That was great, Pekoyama!” Taka exclaimed, “You certainly have grown quite a bit since we were young!”

Peko flushed, a small, rare grin playing on her face. “Ah, thank you, Taka.” She hums. “You have grown quite well, too.”

The boy simply grinned, before turning to them both. “We’ll meet at noon as always right..?”

Fuyuhiko smiled, finally standing from his place on the dusty ground and slapping the other boy on the back. “Of course!” Usually, the three had lunch together, seeing as they were all free at that time. Honestly that time of day was what got Fuyu through some days, a break from his studies to just relax with his minimal amount of friends. Even if they didn’t entirely think of themselves as his friends.

Soon enough they departed, Taka going to help in the kitchen (despite his disastrous attempts at cooking), and Peko separating to go train more with the captain of their royal guard. Fuyuhiko sighed, returning to his room. He flopped on his bed, procrastinating on his work to simply let himself think for a moment.

The first thing his mind trailed to, of course, was Gundham. The mysterious man had been the object of his attention ever since he’d met him. He didn’t know just what it was about him, but the prince couldn’t help but be drawn towards him despite his hesitance. Maybe it was his strange speech pattern, or his hair, or maybe just how bizarre their first encounter had been.    


Still, the prince felt drawn to the man.

Then something odd occurred to him.  _ Who is he? _ Sure, he knew the animal lover as ‘Gundham,’ but who was he really? The guy had, almost deliberately, kept his last name and home obscure from Fuyu, but why..? Was it important, and why would something like that be so worrisome?

_ Maybe he’s some murderer,  _ Fuyu’s mind supplied.  _ And is trying to keep his identity hidden? _ ..No, he was sure he’d recognize an eccentric name like Gundham’s.  _ Maybe he changed his name?  _ Why go to the trouble of hiding his last name then?

No matter how Fuyu turned it in his head, he couldn’t imagine Gundham hiding his last name for criminal reasons. Then what else? His homeland certainly played an important part, but how? Why did he avoid such a topic? Fuyuhiko’s brain started to hurt after the same questions rolled around in circles in his head. All the confusion he’d had since he met Gundham and he’d still only ended up with more questions, zero answers, and a headache. 

He groaned, turning onto his stomach, straight up ignoring the work piled on his desk. He remembered that later that night was his usual meeting time with his friends, an idea forming in his head. His eyes widened in realization.

_ Kyoko! _

Maybe he  _ himself  _ wasn’t a detective, but he certainly knew a detective-in-training. Perhaps, if she was willing of course, she could help him find out the mystery behind his new friend. He knew, because she was rather high status-wise - her father was a famous traveler that resided in their kingdom - that she would have quite a few resources at her disposal. With her infamous talent it would be of no concern what she was investigating, whereas somebody was bound to get suspicious if he began to read up on a person he wasn’t supposed to have even met.

A new fire, and hope, flared within him, and he sat up, determinedly rushing to his desk and beginning his neglected assignments. He didn’t want to just sit around and wait, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> un beta-read (gonna update when it is)


	5. Detective Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoko recognizes Gundham's name and Gundham has a sight for fuyu to see, what'll he dooo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update bc i wanna and i'm nice i think >:)

“What?”

Fuyuhiko rubbed the back of his neck. “You heard me..”

“No, not that..” she huffed, placing a finger to her chin. “That name, Gundham.. I’ve heard of it somewhere.”

“Really??” The prince shuffled closer, the noise and warmth of the tavern calming his nerves slightly. He’d been anxious to ask her, a bit of doubt weeding its way into his curiosity. What if Kyoko refused? Or wanted to know why or who he knew? He knew she was his friend but he wanted to investigate and get to know his newfound companion before introducing him to anyone else.

Kyoko nodded, brows pinching together. “I have but I don’t know where.. Do you have a last name?”

“..No,” he chuckled out of nervous habit. “He’s been pretty adamant about hiding that from me. But he has mentioned that he comes from a different country.”

“Name of the country?”

“Ah uh.. He avoided telling me that too.”

Kirigiri hummed, narrowing her eyes at him. “This _‘he,’_ who is it?”

Fuyu pursed his lips, avoiding her gaze. “I- well,” he sighed, knowing that his anxieties, at least part of them, were coming true. “He’s this guy, y’know, the one that was stalking me?” He remembered Kyoko noticing his paranoia in public, and she’d asked him about it, to which he’d gladly told her. 

She seemed surprised at that. “You met him?”

“Yeah!” he exclaimed, careful not to draw too much attention to himself. “I met him a few days ago, actually. He, uh, let me feed his foxes.”

“You’re unusually trusting of him. When I first met you, you-” 

“Yeah, I know!” He cried, embarrassed of how he’d reacted when he first met her. “I’ve changed a lot since I was fourteen, okay? The guy’s weird, but not enough to make me do _that._ ”

“Really?” Fuyu opened his mouth to speak again before she cut him off. “Either way, I’ll see what I can do. It’ll take a while, though. Without a last name there’s not much I can go on.”

The prince grinned. “Thanks, Kyoko.”

Hours later, he was dropping a rather tipsy Kazuichi off at home (after reprimanding him for drinking at his age), before heading back towards the castle. He was sure to cover his face from anyone that saw him headed that way, but his attention was soon drawn away from his destination by a slight hiss of his name to his left.

He turned, surprised to see Gundham hanging upside down from a tree. He huffed, looking around before quickly approaching, much to the other boy’s (not-so-visible-) delight.

“Malen'kiy drakonchik!” He exclaimed, in a foreign tongue Fuyu hadn’t heard before. He furrowed his brows, about to say something but he was - once again - cut off. “Come! I have somewhere to show you!”

“Wh- Huh? Why?”

The emo blinked, looking at him strangely. “..Why not?”

..Well, Gundham had proven to be somewhat trustworthy, at least for now. Fuyu figured, as he approached the tree to climb it, he could always just shank the guy with a knife he had in his sleeve if he tried anything.

When he’d, finally, reached the branch where Gundham was, the taller had already stood, narrowing his eyes at the forest before him while Fuyu caught his breath. When he finally turned to the small prince, his strangely colored eyes were ablaze with something akin to delight, though the bottom half of his face was covered by his scarf.

“Are you ready? We will be traversing among the trees, so you may wish to tread carefully.” He warned, cautiously edging closer to the end of the branch. Another thick limb jutted out from the next tree, which he swiftly hopped onto, turning to look at him. Fuyu huffed, soon following, and then Gundham was leading the way, weaving through the trunks with almost practiced accuracy. He panted as he followed, soon having to pause and take a break. Gundham stopped a few branches ahead, once again turning back to him.

“Why.. are we.. going through the trees anyway?!” He cried, leaning against the tree’s trunk. He’d noticed that it was of a different texture and thickness than when they’d originally started, and wondered how far they’d traveled to elicit such a change.

The darkly dressed man scoffed. “Because..! It is much more enjoyable this way! And.. the sight to be seen is much better up here than on the forest ground.”

The prince grumbled, unused to this sort of travel. “It might be enjoyable to _you,_ asshole, but I’ve never done this before! Stop goin’ so fast!” Gundham recoiled but quickly recovered, scrunching his nose.

“ _Apologies_ , tiny monarch. I’ve never had to travel in such a way with someone so inexperienced.” He sassily replied, hopping back through the trees toward him. Fuyuhiko snarled at the insult.

“Bastard! ‘S not my fault I’m not a damn squirrel!”

“Tch! To compare me to a small beast such as that is laughable! Are you trying to make yourself feel taller?”

“No! Damnit, don’t you make fun of my height! I’m saying you’re going too fast!”

“Kehehe, I suppose your vessel’s way of travel are not as long as mine..” He sniggered, obviously poking at the enraged boy more. “Very well! But do try to at least keep up, this time.”

Then he was once again striding away, though noticeably slower than before. Fuyuhiko growled, starting after him, pouting all the way. The moon shone brightly, uncovered from the lack of clouds in the sky, and Fuyu was reminded of the dry spell that had begun to take over the land. He glanced at Gundham, noticing his heavy coat and scarf.

“How the fuck do you walk around in all that anyway?” He questioned huffily, still disgruntled about their previous encounter. Even the queen, usually so dressed up and prissy, had to ditch her usual stuffy clothes and opt for a more lighter substitute, despite the usual coolness of the castle. How the _hell_ did this dumbass manage with his get up?

“Hm?” Gundham looked down at him, momentarily pausing to look down at himself then back up towards the shorter. “What do you mean?”

“Your clothes! The jacket ‘n scarf! It’s been pretty hot out, how the hell do you even survive like that?!”

“Ah!” Gundham tilted his head, cackling. “Of course you wouldn’t understand! My life blood is forged of the coldest ice of Hell! I feel no such ‘heat’ as you do, nor does the freezing temperature of this plane affect me!” Fuyuhiko blinked, gaping at him. Of all the things he’d heard from the other, he’d never heard something so ridiculous.

He had a feeling this wouldn’t be the only time he would hear such things.

“..You _what?_ What the hell are you on?!”

The goth scrunched his nose at him. “I am not.. _On_ anything.” When he noticed Fuyu’s continued confusion, he sighed heavily. “I simply mean that my ice-blood and mana causes my vessel to run colder than most. Was that easier?” He hissed, rather annoyed.

“Yeah, actually.” Fuyuhiko huffed, gritting his teeth. “So you just run colder? I wish I did the same, this heat stroke is gonna be the death of me.” The ‘mana’ part he’d simply stored away as a part of his act, but he knew there might be some meaning behind it. He internally groaned as he realized he still knew next to nothing about Gundham.

“Hah! You act as if it is any easier retaining the frigid temperatures of Hell itself! Many times it has nearly caused my demise, so you’d be wise not to wish such a fate on your weak mortal form!”

Fuyuhiko grumbled, about to speak again, only for Gundham to stop, turning to him. “We are here. Close your eyes.”

“Wh- Huh?! Why?!”

“It is to be a surprise.”

“No way! What if I fall!?”

Gundham opened his mouth, only to realize he didn’t have a retort. He thought for a moment, then nodded to himself, taking the back end of his scarf and handing it to him. “Take this, then! I will lead you the rest of the way, but you must keep your eyes closed.”

Fuyuhiko looked unsure, clutching the surprisingly soft scarf tightly. Gundham sighed. “I assure you, small one. I will not allow you to fall. You must simply trust me.”

There was a moment of hesitant silence, then the prince exhaled, nodding. “Fine, I’ll trust you. But if you drop me I will personally wring your neck with your own damn scarf!” He threatened, tugging on the piece of said cloth he had in his hands. Gundham chuckled.

“Kehehe, I would certainly like to see you try. But yes, you have my word. Now, close your eyes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> un-beta read

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic be nice pls akakak and it's edited by my friend! :) I'm not sure what their account on here is but credit to them! ^^


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